An otherwise calm update from two state lawmakers at the Dolores Public Library Saturday morning became tense when a discussion about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Durango sparked a heated exchange.
Colorado Rep. Katie Stewart and Sen. Cleave Simpson spoke at the event, organized by the League of Women Voters of Montezuma County, to share takeaways from the Colorado General Assembly’s recent budget-balancing special session.
Both lawmakers emphasized that despite efforts to close a significant budget deficit, Colorado’s financial challenges remain.
Toward the end of the meeting, the conversation shifted to the recent ICE incident in Durango, prompting emotional responses and applause for remarks from a self-described immigrant.
The exchange followed heightened tensions in Durango, where ICE agents used pepper spray and rubber bullets against protesters in late October. Activists had rallied against the detainment of a man and his two children. An agent later said the father was mistakenly identified.
ICE agents applied force after asking protesters to disperse a human chain blocking the entrance to the agency’s field office. Durango Police Chief Brice Current told city council members on Oct. 30 that agitators were present on both sides.
The incident in Dolores underscored how quickly polarization can unfold around one of the most controversial policies of the current federal administration.
Although the library event was billed as a legislative update, earlier communications from the League of Women Voters indicated that ICE’s presence in Durango would also be addressed.
A Nov. 3 League newsletter said officials would discuss the ICE incident. A revised version sent Nov. 5 noted limited capacity at the venue.
“We realize many are concerned about the events at the Durango ICE facility last week and may have questions and wish to share their concerns,” read the email from League chair Karen Sheek.
“The Dolores Library is partnering with the League to host this event, and the capacity of this meeting space is 50; once we have reached capacity, others will be asked to leave so as not to interfere with the Saturday operation of the library.”
Sheek added that Stewart and Simpson agreed to host a future event in Montezuma County focused on ICE.
At Saturday’s meeting, time was set aside at the end for local activists to speak.
Angela Atkinson was the first to address the room, describing a newly formed committee in Montezuma County focused on education about ICE and immigrant rights.
The tone shifted when Enrique Orozo-Perez, co-executive director of Compañeros – Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center, spoke against ICE’s tactics in Durango. His remarks were interrupted by resident Michael Sawyer, who voiced criticism of immigrants.
“It’s very important to understand that our side was nonviolent,” Orozo-Perez said, drawing applause.
“The violence happened when the state, the federal government sanctioned it on our people,” he said. “There’s recordings of us saying we are not here to fight ICE.”
“The game has changed, because they’re not going after adults. We have a 12-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl who just had their childhood ripped away.”
“All the violence you saw, they want to focus on that because ICE understood they kidnapped two kids from our community.”
“That’s a lie,” Sawyer responded.
“ICE did not kidnap,” Sawyer said, adding, “There’s parents out there that have kids that aren’t theirs to collect money.”
Mirna Sinombre, a self-described immigrant, responded forcefully to Sawyer’s comments.
“I pay my taxes,” she said. “I raised my sons. One fought in Afghanistan. I lost my son in Afghanistan.”
“Don’t you sit there saying that immigrants come here just to be freeloaders,” she said. “Maybe tomorrow I’ll get picked up (by ICE) at the City Market. You don’t know that. Why? Because I’m brown. Because I have an accent. And that’s all it takes. You don’t understand those things.”
Her statement drew applause from many of the roughly 50 attendees. Sheek thanked Sinombre, helped de-escalate the exchange and concluded the event.
“The biggest thing we have in common is that we’re all human beings,” Sheek said. “We all want to have a good life. We all want to raise our children in a safe, good place.”
After the event, Sawyer said he sympathized with Sinombre’s story but maintained his stance.
“I feel for her and I know how it is being an immigrant, but a lot of these people aren’t immigrants,” he said. “They’re illegals.”
“I feel for her and I know how it is being an immigrant, but a lot of these people aren’t immigrants,” Sawyer said after the event in the library. “They’re illegals.”
Sawyer said his earlier comments were based on a belief that the two minors detained by ICE in Durango might not have been the children of the parents. He suggested they could have been used to enter the country, but acknowledged that this idea was based on hearsay and unconfirmed.
He cited Title 8 U.S. Code § 1227, which outlines grounds for deportation.
“That’s what our ICE agents are going after. And I know they’re having a hard time following some of the laws,” he said.
